This week, I asked Nader from Iran to write an article on Missions. Anyone who knows Nader will understand that he will find as many Bible verses as possible to support the topic. He definitely did that in this article. After reading this, you will have no doubt about what the Bible says regarding Missions. Not only should we go, but we should be praying that those who have gone to the mission field will stand firm in their faith even in the face of persecution.
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When I think of a mission, the first thing that comes to mind is the word Jerusalem. Yes, everything starts with earthly Jerusalem and ends with heavenly Jerusalem. As the mission begins in Matthew 28:19-20 and the result can be seen in Revelation 21:1-4. But I think what matters is the performance of the church in carrying out its mission during this period, it is between earthly Jerusalem and the coming of heavenly Jerusalem. But www.britannica.com describes the word mission (Latin: missio), as a translation of the Greek apostolē, “a sending,” appears only once in the English New Testament in Galatians 2:8, “For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles”. An apostle (apostolos) is one commissioned and sent to fulfill a special purpose. It often means preaching the gospel. The mission means that a group of persons sent by a church to carry out religious work, especially evangelization in foreign lands, and often to establish schools, hospitals, etc. They consider it their duty to spread the word of God and convert others to Christianity and travel to an area to provide aid or education. And a missionary is someone who often does missions inside and outside the country. A person who is sent to do religious work such as to convince people to join a religion or to help people who are sick, poor, etc.
But we need to know that throughout the history of the Church those who have been called saints or who have been successful in the mission are those who have been properly educated in the Church and have been supported by all members of the Church. They were the ones sent by God. For example, in Jeremiah1:7-8, “But the LORD said to me, 'Do not say, 'I am too young.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,' declares the LORD.” And in John 20:21, “Again Jesus said, 'Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And in Acts 13: 2-3, “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.” And in Isaiah 6: 8, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!” And Romans 10:15, “And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” And Acts 1: 8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
But today I think some churches have become indifferent to this. According to Matthew 24:12 the Lord says: “Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.” And we see that this verse includes some of today's churches. They coldly and indifferently ignore the needs and desires of the poor and even missions. Because these churches do not have the gift of love and they seek to satisfy the world. According to 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, we read that:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
And the best example for the fulfillment of these verses should be seen in Acts 2: 44-47:
“All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved”.
So, the apostles of Christ and the early church, who were so filled with the love of Christ, were able to carry out Christ's mission by influencing the world. Also, I see the apostles of Christ and the early church fulfilling their missions in the sinful hearts of the cities to fight sin and win hearts for God. For example, in these verses we see the effects of the apostles' attack on the sinful hearts of cities and men.
“But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: 'These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here.” Acts 17: 5-6
“He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: 'You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty. When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: 'Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!' Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together.” Acts 19:25-29
But unfortunately, today, some churches do not want to be persecuted and suffer. They have fled to the suburbs of the cities, or are closed, or have become like the world and have made themselves the same color of the world. But I think in a situation where the world is saying truth is relative and anyone can be their own god, the church and anyone who wants to do a mission for God must stand on the truth of God's Word, so that it can be prepared and equipped for God. For examples, in 1 Corinthians 16:13/,: “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” And in John 17:17, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” And in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” And in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me”. And in Ephesians 4:15, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” And in 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
But I think the Apostle Paul is a good example for us to be able to do our mission in any country and culture, as we read in 1 Corinthians 9: 19-23:
“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”
Yes, Paul knew the gospel message was for all people. He did not censor this message, so he became humble and flexible but not for sin. He renounced his pride, freedom, and human rights so that he could communicate with others and share the gospel with them.
And finally, I dedicate these verses to all missionaries around the world:
Isaiah 52:7:” How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns!”
Numbers 6:24-26: ''The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.''
2 Corinthians 4:16-18: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10: “But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 6:3-4: “We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses”.
2 Timothy 1:10-12: “But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.”
1 Timothy 4:10: “That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.”
God bless you. AMEN
Nader, Your Little Brother in Christ.
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